How Think Twice Second Hand Clothes Shops are Revolutionizing Second-Hand Fashion and Empowering Communities Across Kenya

If you’ve walked down the streets of Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, or Kisumu, chances are you’ve spotted a vibrant, larger-than-life paiting adorning the storefront of a second-hand clothing store. With over 62 shops now open across Kenya, Think Twice has become a household name not just for affordable, high-quality mitumba fashion, but as a driving force behind local art and community development.

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Turning Concrete Walls into Open-Air Art Galleries At Think Twice Second Hand Clothes

Before you even step inside a think-twice-second-hand-clothes shop to hunt for fashion gems, the store’s exterior tells a story. Think Twice has embraced a unique visual identity by transforming its storefronts into bright, eye-catching public canvases.

Through its commitment to supporting local talent, Think Twice partners with gifted Kenyan muralists like Leonard Ngure, who has been hand-painting the walls of shops nationwide. Without projectors or complex digital layouts, Leonard translates sketches of wildlife, street style, and urban culture directly onto concrete using raw skill, chalk grids, and paint buckets. By turning 62+ storefronts into open-air art galleries, Think Twice provides local artists with a massive, nationwide platform to showcase their craft while giving every neighborhood shop a distinct, welcoming identity.

Leonard Ngure - Artist painting at Think Twice Shop

Fashion with a Purpose: Supporting Local Communities

While Think Twice offers an elevated, clean retail experience for thrift lovers, its impact reaches far deeper than sustainable fashion. Every purchase made at a Think Twice store feeds into broader social initiatives through its alignment with global fundraising projects under the Humana Second Hand Fundraising Project. This model channels proceeds from second-hand clothes trade into development aid, sustainability programs, and community upliftment across developing nations.

Here in Kenya, that impact is felt directly on the ground:

Kids at Maisha Mema Kids Club learning Computer

1. Empowering Youth at Maisha Mema Kids Club (Soweto, Kayole)

Deep within the Soweto slums of Kayole, Think Twice actively supports the Maisha Mema Kids Club. The partnership focuses on providing kids with a safe environment, practical skills, and holistic support, including:

• Education & Vocational Training: Sponsoring practical learning programs such as tailoring schools and film/media training, giving young people tangible skills for future employment.

• Youth Activities & Sponsorship: Funding recreational activities, creative workshops, and mentorship programs that keep kids engaged and inspired.

• Nutritional & Basic Aid: Supporting feeding initiatives to ensure children at the club receive daily, nutritious meals.

2. Environmental & Community Clean-Ups

Together with the youth at the Soweto Kids Club, Think Twice helps drive local environmental awareness. Neighborhood clean-up initiatives help clear waste, improve sanitation in informal settlements, and teach young community members the value of environmental responsibility.

3. Strengthening Local Healthcare

Beyond youth development, Think Twice extends its social footprint into local healthcare. The organization supports medical facilities and hospitals by donating crucial furniture, equipment, and resources helping local clinics create better, more dignified spaces for patients seeking care.

Think Twice, Impact Once

Shopping at think-twice-second-hand-clothes is already a win for the environment, reducing textile waste and promoting a circular economy. But at Think Twice Kenya, every shirt, jacket, or pair of shoes you take home contributes to something much bigger.

From creating jobs for local artists on the streets to funding schools, hospitals, and youth centers in Kayole, Think Twice proves that retail can be a powerful engine for social change.

Next time you step into your nearest think-twice-second-hand-clothes take a moment to appreciate the painted paintings it’s a reminder that fashion, art, and community can come together to transform lives across Kenya.